When the Tea Party Patriots threw its support last month behind Matt Bevin, the underdog conservative challenger trying to unseat top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell, President Jenny Beth Martin vowed the group would be “putting our money where our mouth is.”

So far, its super PAC has mustered just $56,000 worth of mailers in Kentucky on Bevin’s behalf — less than half the amount it has paid Martin in consulting fees since July.

The Post looked at other groups as well, but notes that of the $7.4 million raised by the TPP’s super PAC since 2013, only $184,505 has gone directly to candidates. More:

Martin, the super PAC’s chairwoman, oversees all its expenditures, according to [Tea Party Patriots spokesman Kevin] Broughton, meaning she sets her own $15,000 monthly fee for strategic consulting — payments that have totaled $120,000 since July.

She also draws a salary as president of the Tea Party Patriots’ nonprofit arm — getting more than $272,000 in the 2012 fiscal year, according to the group’s most recent tax filing.

Her twin salaries put her on track to make more than $450,000 this year, a dramatic change in lifestyle for the tea party activist, who had filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and then cleaned homes for a period of time to bring in extra money.

Here’s the final verdict:

Three well-known groups — the Tea Party Patriots, the Tea Party Express and the Madison Project — have spent 5 percent or less of their money directly on election-related activity during this election cycle. Two other prominent tea party groups, the Senate Conservatives Fund and FreedomWorks, have devoted about 40 percent of their money to direct candidate support such as ads and yard signs.

***

When we asked Gov. Nathan Deal about the half-dozen or so letters he received from sheriffs warning that the sweeping new gun bill could cause them a host of new legal problems and lead to more bloodshed, the governor said, “I have not had those concerns expressed to me.”

One of those sheriffs, Howard Sills of Putnam County, informed us of a rather gaping hole in Deal’s argument. He passes along a letter signed by Deal on April 16 that thanks him for his opinion and says he will “keep in mind the counsel you have offered me.”

“I appreciate you making me aware of your interest in this matter, and if I can be of any further assistance to you, please feel free to contact me again,” Deal said in the letter.

Sills said in an interview that he was hopeful Deal would heed the advice from sheriffs who raised alarms about the sweeping new measure. Their biggest worry involves a part of the bill that bans police from demanding to see the weapons permit of someone carrying a gun, which they argue would lead to more lawsuits and put officers in unnecessary danger.

We asked Deal spokesman Brian Robinson whether the governor, indeed, did take into consideration the sheriffs’ concerns. He said that the office received more than 4,000 messages from constituents and that the governor took into account the concerns, as well as the “avid support,” from law enforcement officers.

“The governor receives weekly reports on what constituents are calling or writing him about,” said Robinson. “Every one gets an appropriate response, and we’re pleased to see that’s what happened here.”

***

Sunday’s print topic was the dilemma that Georgia’s new gun law poses for state Sen. Jason Carter, who voted for HB 60 and will soon be formally named the Democratic nominee for governor. In the course of our research, we reached out to Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who is a top name in Michael Bloomberg’s anti-gun violence movement, for his opinion on the measure. Spokesman Carlos Campos sent word that Reed is “very much opposed to this new law.”

***

Tucked below its endorsement of Gov. Nathan Deal on Sunday, The Marietta Daily Journal weighed in on a particularly heated primary unfolding in one of Cobb’s most conservative corners.

The newspaper endorsed Marietta lawyer Bert Reeves, who it said was a “traditional conservative with a well-demonstrated passion for serving this community.” The support came at the expense of Charles Gregory, a freshman lawmaker who has quickly taken up the late Bobby Franklin’s mantle as an assured “no” vote.

“Incumbent Charles Gregory ran a “stealth” campaign in 2012, making little mention of his allegiance to Ron Paul and his movement and upsetting Rep. Judy Manning. Gregory repeatedly has been the sole vote (or one of just two or three votes) on his side of various issues. But voters send representatives to the Capitol to represent them and their district, not to embark on quixotic crusades. Gregory has carved a niche as the most ineffective legislator in Atlanta and shows no sign of changing. District 34 voters would be well-advised to make a change May 20.”

A thread needs to be noted here. Reeves is an associate attorney at GMHC360, a bipartisan law firm in Marietta whose partners include Heath Garrett, former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson. Garrett is among those Georgia Republicans who have publicly worried that more extreme candidates pose a long-term danger to the GOP. His wife, Lee B. Garrett, is general manager of the MDJ.

***

An Associated Press look at why tea party groups haven’t rallied around Paul Broun in the Senate race includes this passage with Sal Russo, chief strategist for the Tea Party Express, one of the largest tea party groups in the country:

Russo said there aren’t “huge differences” among the candidates on important issues. Russo’s group, the Tea Party Express, has yet to endorse and is waiting to speak with Kingston and former Dollar General CEO David Perdue, also considered a front-runner, before making a decision.

“In 2010, it was important to take a stand, to say “No, we are not going to vote for someone just because they are a Republican,'” Russo said. “Now our goal is winning elections. It’s important to take the gavel away from (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid. That is our number one priority.”

Tea Party Express has weighed in on one Georgia race: It’s backing Barry Loudermilk in the 11th District Congressional race.

***

On WGAU 1360-AM this morning, Tim Bryant and Martha Zoller had all seven Republican U.S. Senate candidates on to mark the first day of early voting. Rep. Paul Broun sidestepped a question from Zoller about the lawsuit to overturn Georgia’s same-sex marriage ban:

“Martha, I believe in traditional marriage but that’s a state issue. And what I’m fighting is for families to be able to have the money that they need. We’ve got to shrink the size and scope of government, send the powers back to the states or the people, leave money in people’s pockets and that’s what I’ve been fighting for in Washington, so that families – all families – will be able run their lives without all this government intrusion.”

Is it a sign of the times that even the candidate who says he uses the Bible as a guide to vote-casting does not want to engage on this topic?

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I'd like to be the first to congratulate HonJL. Your posting here reinforces every stereotype about the Tea Party that mostly everyone has known for a long time. You regurgitate talk-radio soundbites, you're open about your racism, you make blanket-statement assumptions about race and demographics, and you assume that anyone who isn't a far-right Tea Party idiot is a welfare queen who needs to be drug-tested.

The Democratic Party and moderate Republicans who still believe in compromise thank you for your service.

As we think about the children who won't get fed because, through no fault of the children, parents won't consent to drug testing for food stamps, we can also be reminded that this law is designed to reinforce the idea that the poor among us are laggards and should not be helped in any way.

The cry for less government has reached such a pitch that, in Georgia, has resulted in underfunding of essential programs and will result in the rapid growth of an underclass we will ALL regret.

The Cherokee Tea Party Patriots is made up of your friends and neighbors. SIMPLY PUT, THE TEA PARTY MOVEMENT IS THE VOICE OF EVERYDAY AMERICANS. We meet the 3rd Sunday of the month. Our goal is to elect people who believe in less government and less spending and to FIRE those who don't. Hope you will come to one of our meetings. To get involved contact: Conrad Quagliaroli, 770-378-8232, conradquag@gmail.com

And TEA wonders why the IRS might want to take a closer look at the myriad of non-profit, 'non-partisan' groups operating under the TEA banner. I mean, it's pretty easy to be a non-profit, if you give all your money to management.

"Tea Party Patriots is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting the principles of fiscal responsibility"....oh, really?...non-profit?....non-partisan?...fiscal responsibility???????....need a new charter, or a new way of doing business.

@HonJL I'm an "everday American" and I sure don't want to exclude the poor from healthcare, food, or welfare. Perhaps the TP doesn't know that many Americans use all three temporarily when a loss of job or major health problem occurs. Asking those who have NO money to pay for drug testing is unreasonable, and shows a lack of understanding of "everyday" Americans. Oh, and you forgot to add that electing people who believe in less government, really means...unless you are a woman or have lost your job. Why not drug test the Gov and the Georgia Legislature?? ALL of them are taking government money. I am a member of a growing constituency who reject the TP intolerance.

Did you read the story, HonJL? This woman, from Woodstock no less, your former neighbor, is raking in close to half a million from tea party peeps and doling out a mere 5 percent to help candidates and cause, and you encourage people to bring their check books? Are you paid staff as well?

@JohnBoy10 - Ya think? Gotta Love those smaller Gubbament Lies...Jenny Beth is GETTIN PAID! Meanwhile you are Hating on a President who is trying to improve yur sad and pathetic Lives and here you are giving all of your hard earned Money to a Fomer House Cleaner...who most likely does not even have a College Degree!

@JohnBoy10 You all are being tricked to look away at the real problem. ObamaCare, which has taken our country and freedom. Don't be tricked, unite with the Tea Party. Send us your funds so we can fight this monster. Take back our country. Making money is the American way, give America.

@HonJL@consumedconsumer "big" government has no place in our pockets??? Then you should NOT drive on ANY road in the country, go to a public school, use a library (no problem there), take any medicine which was funded by NIH research, eat any food inspected by the FDA, call the fire department when your (see how I used "your") house is on fire, call the police when in an accident...etc., etc., etc.

@HonJL@Bernie31- Jenny Beth will not be ejoying this very Lucrative salary going forward. There will most certainly be a call of changes and salary CAPS!

To NOT DEMAND those changes is clear violation of long held Tea Party Philosophy. The Goobers are picking Their wrinkled jaws from the floor of learning of this News. Especially when most of the Supporters are on a FIXED INCOME. unlike Jenny Beth!

@HonJL That's President Obama....You mad? As for your piss test start with the crooked law makers. Last time I checked there are no jumbo jets or yachts parked in the hood which are used to bring illegal drugs into this country. When the law makers alll pass a drug test then I will support drug testing folk before they can eat. Until then... Kick rocks!

@HonJL yesterday you told me tea baggers are not that kind of people when I asked if you guys would be wearing pointy hats....Today you are posting about food stamp receivers and rise up white people. Apparently I was right on the money in my perception of what tea baggers stand for. Thanks but no thanks I will pass on your invite to a tea bagger rally in Cherokee county. Besides I don't think you guys would like what I have to say my kind, as you put it, were labeled as northern agitators years ago by your kind.

@HonJL @StraightNoChaser "YOUR KIND?" How do you know what "kind" StraightNoChaser is, HonJL? My guess is that his sarcasm is accurate - that your Tea Party is full of bigots and racists masquerading as fiscal conservatives.

And before you attempt to judge what "kind" I am, I'll say it: white, female, married, over 50, northern suburb, middle-of-the-road Republican who intensely dislikes discrimination.

@consumedconsumer@HonJL Enough of the hate, you North Korea lovers, we are doomed if we don't support the Tea Party. Its your last hope. Gov. Deal sees the truth and the Tea Party will win the white house.

@honested@HonJL@Bernie31- You mean the military Industrial complex that the last republican Adminstration allowed the Gang Raping of the American Taxpayer with the Republican Vice President giving the Green Light.

"You're travelling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone!"